TH man facing child molesting-related charges

John P. Wycoff/Vigo County Jail

A Terre Haute man is facing several child molesting -related charges after deputies with the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office arrested him Friday morning.

John P. Wycoff, 36, was booked into the Vigo County Jail at 10:30 a.m. He is being held on the following charges: Class A felony child molesting; Class C felony child molesting; Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor; and Class D felony child seduction.

According to the probable cause affidavit released by the Vigo County Prosecutor's Office, an investigation by Det. Sgt. John Newman revealed that the now 19-year-old victim filed a report on Feb. 24, 2015 alleging the abuse by her then step-father, Wycoff, was ongoing from for at least a decade --  beginning when she was younger than 8-years-old. 

The victim alleges the sexual abuse included “looking, touching and the actual sex act by the time she reached 4th or 5th grade." The alleged acts also included explicit photography.

According to the court documents, the victim notes alleged abuse and a police report filed against Wycoff by her younger sister accusing the defendant of sexual misconduct with a minor.

The victims’ mother was interviewed and stated that Wycoff had been accused by a friend’s daughter in the past of child molesting when her own daughters were younger. She said she had asked her daughters if anything happened to them and they said no at the time. The victims’ mother did however recall an instance of “his penis sticking out of the top of his boxers” in the younger daughter’s bedroom one time, which Wycoff allegedly said was a "mistake" when confronted.

The mother also noted that the Wycoff frequently bought the daughters expensive electronic items.

Wycoff had an initial court appearance this morning in Vigo County Superior 6 to hear formal charges. He remains in custody on $100,000 bail, no 10 percent allowed.

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